Compare towns
Carroll vs Bow vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carroll has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Carroll | Bow | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 659Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,013 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 62.4±4.8Highest 44% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
58±3.5 34% above NH |
| Carroll and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 7%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.5%±2.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±9.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Carroll and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$26kLowest 35% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$67,188±$13k 32% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,500±$42kLowest 35% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$296,700±$92k 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$241 28% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$867±$156Lowest 42% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,356Lowest 50% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,196 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28%±47.5 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±71.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 19% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
35 minHighest 29% above NH |
| Work from home | 4.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.5%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.